Sheet holding and straining device.



No. 629,930. Patented Aug. I, I899.

W. SPALCKHAVER.

SHEET HOLDING AND STRAINING DEVICE.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1898.1

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

\No Model.)

Patented Aug. I, I899.

W SPALCKHAVER SHEET HOLDING AND STRAINING DEVICE.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 629,930. Patented Aug. I, I899. W. SPALCKHAVER. SHEET HOLDING AND STRAINING DEVICE (Applicltion filed Dec. 10, less.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM SPALOKHAVER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT HOE, THEODORE II. MEAD, AND CHARLES \V. CARPENTER, OF SAME PLACE.

SHEET HOLDING AND STRAINING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 629,930, dated August 1, 1899.

Application filed December 10, 1898. Serial No. 698,861. (No model.)

To roll whom it lmu/ oll 001%: cylinder. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM SPALCKHA- with one of the holding-jaws removed. Fig. YER, a citizen of the United States, residing 5 is a detail plan view of the construction at New York city, county of Kings, and State shown in Fig. b. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation 5 of NewYork, have invented certain new and of an impression-eylinder provided with a useful Improvements in Sheet Holding and modification of the improved holding devices, Straining Devices, fully described and represaid devices being shown as applied to holdsented in the following specification and the ing a sheet of cardboard with which such eyl 6o accompanying drawings, forming a part of inders are usually provided. Fig. 7 is a dcto the same. tail section of the construction shown in Fig.

This invention relates to certain improve- 0. Fig. 8 is a detail elevation, partly in see ments in devices for straining and holding tion, showing certain parts of the construcflexible sheets to thin supporting-surfaces, tion illustrated in Fig. i, the other parts he and is more particularly designed for use in ing removed.

I5 connection with aluminium,zinc,orother me- Referring to the drawings, A indicates a tallic printing-plates. It may, however, be portion of a platecarrying cylinder. The used for various other purposessueh, for cylinder is provided with a pair of side plates instance, as holding the blankets or eard- 15, one of these plates being shown in elevaboard by which impression-eylinders are pretion in Fig. 1 and in section in Fig. 2. These 20 pared on the surfaces of such cylinders. side plates are secured to the cylinder bybolts The object of the invention is to produce C or in any other suit-able way. The cylinimprovcd means by which a holding-jawora der is provided with the usual gap, in which pair of such jaws may be quickly and aeeuthe plateholding devices are located, and rately adjusted with respect to a support to supported beneath this gap is a shaft 1, this 25 produce an even tension on the plate or sheet shaft finding its bearings in the side plates of material which is held by the jaws. 13. The shaft 1 carries the holding devices A further object of the invention is to proto be hereinafter described, such devices beduce an improved means by which each pair ing made adjustable around the shaft. The of a set of pairs of holding devices maybe inholding devices maybe of various kinds, and

30 dependently adjusted around a support to various means may be provided for adjusting produce an even tension on the plate or other them. They will, however, preferably consheet of material held by the jaws and in COlIlsist of holding-jaws and will be arranged and bination therewith to provide means whereby adjusted as hereinafter described. the entire set of jaws may be simultaneously Located on the shaft 1 are a series of jaws 35 ad usted. 3, which are provided with curved extensions The invention consists in certain construcwhich partially embrace the shaft 1 and also tions, parts, improvements, and combinapreferably carry perforated'lugs or eyes 4.. tions, as will be hereinafter fully described The shaft 1 is preferably provided with a se and then pointed out in the claims hereunto ries of lugs 5, which are in vertical alinement 4o appended. with the lugs 1 and are preferably threaded.

In the accompanying d rawings, which form Passing through the perforations in the lugs a part of this specification and in which like 4 and engaging the threaded portions in the characters of reference indicate the same lugs 5 are bolts 6. The perforations in the parts, Figure 1 represents a detail elevation, lugs 1 are larger than the diameter of the 45 partly in section, of a portion of a sheet-supbolts, and it will be seen that as the bolts are port, which in this case is a cylinder, and the screwed in or out the jaws I will be given an printing member of a printing-couple proangular adjustment around the shaft. vided with the improved holding device. in order to hold the sheet of material S, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. thereisprovidedacooperatingholdingmeans,

50 Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the 0011- such as the jaws 7. These jaws maybe supstruetion shown in Fig. 1, the plane of secported so as to cooperate with the jaws 3 in tion being at right angles to the shaft of the various ways. They are shown in one modification namely, that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5---as pivoted to the jaws 2 by a hinged joint, while in the modification illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 they are shown as carried on the jaws 3, being secured thereto by an ordinary threaded bolt. Other methods of mounting these jaws may be used, it being only necessary to so arrange them that they will cooperate with the jaws in holding the sheet of material and at the same time permit the said jaws to be adjusted with respect to the support. The devices shown are, however, believed to be the preferable ones.

Various means may be provided for rotating the shaft 1 in its bearings, and thus adjusting the jaws or series of jaws mounted thereon. A simple and effective means is that shown in which the shaft is provided with a squared head 2 and a ratchet-wheel 8. The plate B carries a spring-holding pawl 9, which cooperates with the said ratchet-wheel and prevents backward rotation thereof.

The operation of the device so fardeseribed is as follows: The edge of the sheet of material S having been inserted between the jaws 3 and 7, the bolts which connect the two jaws are screwed down, so that the sheet is firmly clamped between the jaws. The bolts (3 are then turned by a suitable wrench to adjust the various sets of jaws along the shaft away from the shoulder of the gap in order to produce an even tension on all parts of the sheet of material. It sometimes happens, especially where the device is used to hold and strain metallic printing-plates to their seats on the cylinder, that certain parts of the plate, because of buckling or for some reason, need agreater tension than other parts of the plate. Vhen this is the case, certain of the jaws will be given a greater angular adjustment than the others. \Vhen the several sets of holding devices have been suitably adjusted, a wrench is placed on the squared end 2 of the shaft, and the shaft is revolved in its bearings, so as to simultaneously move all the sets of holding devices away from the shoulder of the gap, thus straining the plate to its seat. The holding-pawl 9, cooperating with the ratchet 8,will prevent anybackward movement of the shaft 1, and the plate will thus be securely held in position. The opposite edge of the plate maybe held in various ways. It is here shown as held by a set of clampingarms 10, mounted on a shaft 11, which is parallel to the shaft 1. The shaft 11 is provided with an arm 12, to which is connected a hook or eye 13. This hook .13 is connected to a spring 15, the other end of the spring being connected to a block 1t, carried on the cylinder. The spring 15 draws the arm 12 toward the block 14, thus holding the arms 10 against the shoulder of the gap and clamping the plate in position. The arms '1 0 are perforated and engage pins 16, which are secured in the edge of the cylinder. The sheet or plate is provided with perforations, which are placed over the pins.

In the construction shown in Figs. (1,7,and a device embodying the invention is shown as holding a sheet of cardboard which acts as a backing on an impression cylinder, the edges of the cardboard being clamped between the jaws 3 and 7. The jaws shown in this modification are different in shape to those shown in the other modification; but the action of the device asa whole is the same. In this modification the impression-cylinder is further provided with a shaft 17, provided with a ratchet-whee1 18, upon which the muslin or other material forming the blanket is wound and held. Cooperating with the ratchet-wheel 18 is a spring-pawl 19 of the usual construction, the same being used to prevent any backward rotation of the shaft. The impressiorrcylinder in this case is shown as provided with the usual sheet taking and holding grippers and the means for manipulating the same. These grippers and their cooperating devices being of a common and well-known construction are not specifically described.

Various modifications of the construction arepossible. For instance, while the bolts 6 and the cooperating eyes form a convenient and ready means for giving the jaws 3 the angular adjustment, this adjustment may be obtained in various other ways. So, too, the jaws might be mounted otherwise than on a shaft and the two adjustments given in other ways. It will also be understood that the jaw-support might carry a single pair of jaws, though a series is deemed preferable for the reasons before stated. \Vhile also the invention is shown in connection with a sheet-supporting surface formed on a cylinder, it is to be understood that it is adapted for use with supporting-surfaces formed on other carriers-as, for instance, flat beds. The invention is not, therefore, to be limited to the precise details of construction shown and described, but includes all such modifications as fall within its spirit and scope as defined by the claims.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a holding and straining device, the combination witha support, of apair of jaws for acting on one edge of a sheet, means for adjusting the jaws with respect to the support, means for adjusting the support and the jaw simultaneously, and means for holding the sheet in opposition to the jaws,substantially as described.

In a holding and straining device, the combination with a support, of a pair of jaws for acting on one edge of a sheet, means for adjusting the jaws angularly about the support, means for adjusting the support and the jaws simultaneously, and means for bolding the sheet in opposition to the jaws, sub stantially as described.

i). In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of jaws for acting on a sheet supported on the shaft, means for at'ljusting the jaws around the ICC shaft, means for rotating the shaft, and means acting to hold the sheet in opposition to the jaws, substantially as described.

4. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of jaws, means for causing the jaws to clamp a sheet, and means carried by the shaft and one of the jaws for adjusting both jaws about the shaft, substantially as described.

5. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of jaws, means for causing the jaws to clamp asheet, means carried by the shaft and one of the jaws for adjusting both jaws about the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

6. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of hinged jaws surrounding the shaft, means for causing the jaws to clamp the plate between them, and means for adjusting the jaws about the shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of hinged jaws surrounding the shaft, means for causing the jaws to clamp the plate between them, means for adjusting the jaws about the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

8. Ina holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially embracing the same, a projection on the 'w, a projection on the shaft, means engaging both projections for adjusting them toward and from each other and thus adjusting the jaw about the shaft, and means 00- operating with the jaw to hold a sheet, substantially as described.

0. In a holding and straining device, the

combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially embracing the same, a projection on the jaw, a projection on the shaft, means engaging both projections for adjusting them toward and from each other and thus adjusting the jaw about the shaft, means cooperating with the jaw to hold a sheet, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

10. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially encircling the shaft, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and jaw, one of said perforations being threaded, a headed bolt passing loosely through one of said eyes and engaging the threaded portion in the other, and holding means cooperating with the jaw, substantially as described.

11. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially encircling the shaft, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and jaw, one of said perforations being threaded, a headed bolt passing loosely through one of said eyes and engaging the threaded portion in the other, holding means cooperating with the jaw, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

12. In a holding and straining device, the

combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially encircling the same, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and jaw, a headed bolt passing loosely through one of the eyes and engaging the threaded portion in the other, a second jaw connected to the firstnamed jaw, and means for adjusting the jaws to produce a clamping action between them, substantially as described.

13. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a jaw partially encirling the same, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and jaw, a headed bolt passing loosely through one of the eyes and engaging the threaded portion in the other, a second jaw connected to the firstnamed jaw, means for adjusting the jaws to produce a clamping action between them, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

14. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of hinged jaws embracing the shaft, means for forcing the jaws together to produce a clamping action, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and one of the jaws, one of said eyes being threaded, and a headed bolt passing loosely through one of the eyes and engaging the threaded perforation in the other, substantially as described.

15. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a pair of hinged jaws embracing the shaft, means for forcing the jaws together to produce a clamping action, a pair of perforated eyes extending from the shaft and one of the jaws, one of said eyes being threaded, a headed bolt passing loosely through one of the eyes and engaging the threaded perforation in the other, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as described.

16. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a series of jaws partially encircling the shaft, a second series of jaws cooperating with the first-named jaws, means for forcing the jaws together to produce a clamping action, and means for adjusting each of the sets of jaws angularly about the shaft, substantially as described.

17. In a holding and straining device, the combination with a shaft, of a series of jaws partially encircling the shaft, a second series of jaws cooperating with the first-namedjaws, means for forcing the jaws together to produce a clamping action, means for adjusting each of the sets of jaws angularly about the shaft, means for rotating the shaft in one direction, and means for holding the shaft against rotation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM SPALCKIIAVER.

Witnesses:

F. W. II. CRANE, E. L. SrEm. 

